Catch-Up (Part 2 of 2)

So the other class we're taking right now is Physical Exam, or as I like to call it, the "Pretend You're a Doctor Class." This class is also TBL-based and, like physiology, TBLs actually sort of make sense for the class.

We focus on a different part of the exam (different part of the body) each week. We have an assigned reading each week that goes along with that part of the exam. Every Monday we have a short individual quiz on that reading, and then we take a new and different and longer quiz as a team, also based on the reading.

The group quiz is open book and open internet. Some questions might still be hard though if we were in any other time period other than right now. But thanks to cell phone apps like Google Goggles, there's really not that much work (or learning) involved.


One other afternoon a week, you meet with your team again plus a facilitator who's either a doctor or a fourth year med student, and you get to practice the exam on each other. Of course, because as doctors you only examine people of the same sex, our teams also split up into boys and girls to practice. Sarcasm aside, it probably is necessary to split the sexes since we do get pretty up close and personal with each other - boobs seriously get in the way of properly listening to your heart and lungs.

The most fun part of this class is that you are supposed to practice outside of class! Our facilitator told us that we should be practicing so often that every time we walk into a room, our friends, family, and pets should run out.

So far the novelty is still there for my family and friends, so people have still been very willing to let me practice (I have NOT practiced on any pets... yet). For your viewing pleasure, here are just a few of the many pictures taken during one physical exam practice session on a very patient friend (patient, get it? yuk yuk yuk).

she's a littttle impatient

i saw my first optic disc!

listening to the heart